Circulatory system disease main cause of death: Turkey

By Muhammed Ali Gurtas

ANKARA

Nearly 4 out of 10 of deaths in Turkey last year were caused by diseases of the circulatory system, the state data authority said Thursday.

Out of nearly 417,000 total deaths in 2017, over 165,000 people died due to circulatory system disease, the Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat) said.

"This was followed by cancer with 19.6 percent, and respiratory system diseases with 12 percent," TurkStat said.

The institute said deaths due to circulatory system disease in 2017 were based on ischemic heart diseases with 39.7 percent and cerebrovascular diseases with 22.9 percent.

"The number of deaths caused by malignant cancer in the total last year was 79,889; 31 percent of these deaths were caused by malignant neoplasms of the larynx and trachea/bronchus/lung," it said.

Broken down by age group, circulatory system diseases were most seen in the 75-84 age group with 55,284 people, while benign and malignant cancer was most seen in the 65-74 age group, with 22,982 people last year.

According to TurkStat, males accounted for 54.2 percent of all deaths, while around 190,000 women's deaths were reported.

Official data also showed that external causes of injury and poisoning equalled 4.5 percent of all deaths -- including all kinds of accidents with 15,292 deaths, suicide and intentional self-harm with 1,772, and homicide/assault with 1,294.

TurkStat releases causes of death statistics, which are essential data for evaluating public health, compiled and coded in accordance with World Health Organization rules, once a year, with the next report due next April.